Comments on: What Has The Fastball Academy Produced?http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html
Your best source for news on the Pittsburgh Pirates and their minor league system.Mon, 16 Oct 2017 20:45:00 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2By: Tim Williamshttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-13078
Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:57:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-13078No. I was thinking of later round picks. Always forget about Allie, since he’s not in the same class as the middle round prep pitchers.
]]>By: eeee12http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-13077
Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:54:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-13077 Did you exclude Allie on purpose?
]]>By: David Lewishttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-13061
Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:28:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-13061What amazes me – but shouldn’t surprise me – is that the entire Fastball Academy approach is the way I learned to teach 10-12 year-olds in Little League how to pitch. Throw fastballs and locate. If you’re able to locate, miss bats by changing location. If you’re able to change location, get more variation by changing grip (i.e., throw a four-seam fastball as well as a two-seam fastball). Then change speeds by changing grip more (learn to throw a changeup as well as fastballs).

The fact that 18-year-old pitchers in professional baseball have to be retaught this is, to me, an indictment of junior baseball. The kids who end up getting drafted are for the most part the freaks of nature who either dominated youth baseball because of their size or were able to throw breaking balls without destroying their arms, and therefore never learned how to command a fastball.

]]>By: anotherfastballclobberredhttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-13016
Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:18:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-13016 The “fastball academy” is a joke, instead of teaching the kids to pitch, to throw all pitches with consistency with respect to delivery so that they aren’t tipped, to get these kids to realize they cant win by fastballs alone and to allow these kids to get momentum, get that chip on their shoulder, let them dominate and learn how to set hitters up and get guys out when they dont have their best stuff.

That is how young pitchers develop!!!!!

]]>By: Natehttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-12961
Sun, 04 Mar 2012 05:29:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-12961No one is expecting the major league team to be overflowing with 22-year-old starters. But at least have a couple high ceiling arms touching AA last year… none. Sure Taillon and Cole will excel, they probably don’t need the fastball academy.

I don’t think anyone here has anyone has validated NH’s approach, or showed that it’s working. Sure, it makes sense, but is it working at an better developmental rate than “other” approaches, or in the absence of it? That’s the question and I don’t see the “yes” answer being presented well at all.

]]>By: Natehttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-12959
Sun, 04 Mar 2012 04:19:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-12959If a college senior pitcher was drafted, fans would likely give him 2 years to get to the majors.
Then why would they expect a prep pitcher to get to the majors in 3 or 4 years? 4 years of minor league ball would be the time equivalent of being a college senior, plus the two more years and your looking at 6 years for a prep pitcher. And yet…everyone expects it to happen in 3 or 4 years. Those expectations ARE unrealistic.

A prep pitcher drafted at the age or 18 would only be 22 yrs old 4 yrs in. I’m sure most other major league teams are just overflowing with great 22 yr old pitchers in the majors…aren’t they?

Look, my patience is as tested as anyone else’s, but at least be real about it.

]]>By: Natehttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-12957
Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:21:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-12957Tim, I agree with you – to an extent – but saying the expectations are unrealistic is a bit overboard. NH is in his 5th year. Justin Hughes is the only draftee to make it to Pittsburgh. Is there even a single high-end prospect in AA?
]]>By: Natehttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-12955
Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:15:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-12955Cocktails: You’re right, it was a great article. I think most fans understand the “why”, they may just be frustrated with a perceived lack of results (however that may be defined), lack of clear understanding of how other organizations (esp. successful ones) develop pitchers in the low minors, and in my opinion, a perceived lack of development of 2/3/4 pitches especially considering many guys aren’t flame-throwers and will have to rely on the development and usage of non-fastball offerings to have success at the major league level.
]]>By: Natehttp://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-12954
Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:11:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-12954Cam: If your philsophy is hope (with respect to pitching development), then you’ve already lost. You could make the argument that Littlefield “produced” (not drafted) better pitching prospects 4+ years in with Maholm and Gorzo, and got Duke to develop well as a 20th rounder. Maybe I’m missing something, but I think most people are underwhelmed at the lack of drafted major league pitching talent 4-5 years in.
]]>By: pirates21http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/03/what-has-the-fastball-academy-produced.html#comment-12952
Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:32:00 +0000http://www.piratesprospects.com/?p=26375#comment-12952yay
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